15 Things To Do In The Tri-State Area This Winter
The cold winter weather can discourage you and your little ones from getting out and having fun. However, the Tri-State are, which includes New Jersey, New York and Connecticut are winter wonderlands full of fun activities for the whole family to enjoy! Here’s our list of the Top 15 Things To Do In The Tri-State Area This Winter!
New Jersey
Ice Fishing on Lake Hopatcong
Hopatcong State Park, 1 Lakeside Blvd, Hopatcong
Lake Hopatcong was originally created as part of the Morris Canal, a 90-mile waterway that ran from Newark to Phillipsburg and was the chief means of transporting coal, iron and zinc across New Jersey in the 1860s. However, the lake is a great place to ice fish. You heard that right! January and February are ideal times to enjoy setting up your fishing rod and enjoying the tranquility that comes with being in nature while waiting for a bite on your line! Obviously, winter weather patterns play a major role in the amount of time there is safe ice in any particular year, so make sure to do your research before you go!
Prudential Center
25 Lafayette St, Newark
Want to catch a game or sing along to your favorite artist? The Prudential Center is an amazing venue to see a sporting event or concert! The Prudential Center is easily accessible by car or train! Luckily, the Prudential Center is easily accessible by train and car, with ample parking available. Home to the New Jersey Devils and the Seton Hall Pirates, there’s never a sports lull during the winter season!
The Lakota Wolf Preserve
89 Mt Pleasant Rd, Columbia
Walk on the wild side with The Lakota Wolf Preserve! Explore and learn about some of the world’s most amazing animals through their educational Wolf Watch tours, where you will be surrounded by 4 different packs of wolves. The only way to see the wolves is to join a Wolf Watch tour, which are offered twice per day, every day except Mondays. Wolf Watches begin at 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Registration begins 1/2 hour before tour start times. Each Wolf Watch tour is 60-75 minutes long. Please call ahead during the winter season to ensure the weather permits your visit!
Grounds For Sculpture (GFS)
Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) is a 42-acre sculpture park with thought-provoking sculptures that are constantly changed. This art-filled garden is a perfect place to visit with family. There are over 300 pieces of contemporary art being exhibited here on the grounds. The gardens change as per the season and are a pleasure to explore. GFS also offers bookings to celebrate your special events there. They have a restaurant called Rat’s Restaurant, which is a great place to unwind after walking the grounds.
GFS also conducts events like yoga, art workshops, etc for their members.
Dreamworks Water Park at American Dream
Just because it is freezing outside doesn’t mean you cannot have fun splashing around indoors! Dreamworks Water Park, which is the largest indoor water park in North America, gives you just that – water park fun without the freeze! Check out their slides, luxury poolside cabanas, and a tropical, warm temperature all year round! You can get their Winter Season Splash Pass, which is valid from December to February. Apart from all the water fun you can have, they also have live character entertainment, dance breaks, etc.
New York
The Rink at Rockefeller Center
600 5th Ave, New York
Make some figure eights in the most famous ice skating location in NYC! The Rink at Rockefeller Center is an outdoor rink visited by people from all around the globe each winter. The rink is open daily with 8 sessions from 8:30am through midnight. The rates vary depending on standard, holiday or peak time. You can rent the skates if you don’t bring your own. Want to step away from the traditional and touristy rinks? There are plenty of other places to skate in New York as well as New Jersey!
Museum of Modern Art
11 W 53rd St, New York
The Museum of Modern Art or MoMA, celebrates creativity, openness, tolerance, and generosity. They’re committed to sharing the most thought-provoking modern and contemporary art, which you can explore the art, ideas, and issues of our time. There are so many ways for you and your family to enjoy art together. Kids and adults engage in lively discussions and fun activities while looking closely at modern masterpieces and cutting-edge contemporary art for free!
Broadway Shows
Sing, dance, and marvel at the magic of a New York City Broadway play or musical! Create a memory that will last a lifetime with the different types of performances fit for the frequent musical goer or for first timers! Your family can enjoy the wonders of Chicago, hear Simba roar in The Lion King, get in on the magic of Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, and so much more!
Madison Square Garden
4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York
New York Knicks, New York Liberty and Rangers fans will already know that Madison Square Garden is one of the famous arenas to visit! It also transforms into the premier stage for musicians, comedians, and many other performers! Located right by New York Penn Station, it’s a simple commute to and from the city!
Winter Village at Bryant Park
Bryant Park, New York
Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park is Manhattan’s winter wonderland. Enjoy the Holiday Shops, The Lodge by Urbanspace, and The Rink, the centerpiece of Winter Village and New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink. The Holiday Shops are open through January. You can catch the B,D,F,M or A subways, which drop you off right at the park’s entrance. Times Square is also a block away!
FAO Schwarz
30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City
The classic toy store makes a comeback with its new location after toy store giant closed its doors in 2015! Marvel at the famous clock tower and play a tune with your feet on the iconic “Big Piano.” The store’s non-holiday hours are 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden
2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx
All aboard! The Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden will be an experience to remember. Enchanting model trains zip through a display of more than 175 New York landmarks, each re-created with bark, leaves, and other natural materials—all under the twinkling glow of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Ticket prices vary based on age and time of visit! Marvel at G-scale locomotives humming past familiar sights such as the Brooklyn Bridge and Rockefeller Center on nearly a half-mile of track.
Connecticut
Grace Farms
365 Lukes Wood Rd, New Canaan
Grace Farms is situated in the northeast corner of New Canaan, CT. The expansive 80-acre landscape is one of the last remaining large parcels of open space in Fairfield County, now made available to the public by Grace Farms Foundation. Explore Grace Farms, a welcoming new place for people to experience nature, encounter the arts, foster community, pursue justice, and explore faith, designed by the Pritzker Prize–winning architectural firm SANAA. Partake in a 90-minute tour around the beautifully designed area. Grace Farms also has a basketball court, library, dining area, and stage area for events!
Pez Visitor Center
35 Prindle Hill Rd, Orange
Come see and experience the PEZ brand in person! See the largest, most comprehensive collection of PEZ memorabilia on public display in the world, PEZ motorcycle built by Orange County Choppers, the world’s largest PEZ dispenser, a viewing area into our production area, PEZ trivia game, a retail area, an interactive historical timeline line and much more. Learn about the brand that has been inspiring and innovating since 1927!
Connecticut Science Center
250 Columbus Blvd, Hartford
With more than 165 hands-on exhibits, as well as a state-of-the-art 3D digital theater, four educational labs, plus daily programs and events, the Connecticut Science Center offers endless exploration for children, teens, and adults. From physics to forensics, geology to astronomy, visitors have the sciences at their fingertips. The Science Center offers exciting tools to help educators and parents bring textbooks to life. Creating unforgettable experiences with science motivates students and visitors of all ages to enthusiastically embrace science at school, at home, and in their communities.
All of this fun can make someone hungry! There are plenty of places to eat to fill you up after the winter activities! Looking for more ways to have fun even after the holidays are over? There are several events and activities right here in Jersey City!
Updated 23 Dec 2025
